Federal judge hears request in Kentucky teacher sickout case

May 7, 2019

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — A federal judge says he’ll decide soon on a request for a temporary restraining order in a case involving Kentucky teachers who protested at the Capitol during sickouts this year.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports that U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves said he has to make a decision in the public’s best interest, not just teachers.

In a hearing Tuesday, Kentucky Deputy Attorney General J. Michael Brown asked Reeves to act in response to the Labor Cabinet’s subpoena of records on teacher absences during sickouts. Brown also urged Reeves to prevent Labor Secretary David Dickerson from punishing teachers.

Gov. Matt Bevin’s general counsel, Steve Pitt, who represented Dickerson, told the newspaper he was “guardedly optimistic” that the judge wouldn’t issue a temporary restraining order.